In what stage do infants primarily interact with their environment through senses and motor skills?

Infants primarily interact with their environment through senses and motor skills during the sensorimotor stage, which is the first stage of cognitive development according to Jean Piaget's theory. This stage spans from birth to about 2 years old, and it is characterized by the child's learning through direct interaction with the physical world.

During this time, infants explore their surroundings by using their senses such as sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. They engage in reflexive actions at first, which gradually evolve into more complex behaviors like reaching, grasping, and manipulating objects. This hands-on approach allows infants to learn about object permanence, causality, and the concept of self versus the environment.

Unlike later stages, such as the preoperational stage, where symbolic thinking begins to develop, or the concrete and formal operational stages, where logical reasoning and abstract thinking are enhanced, the sensorimotor stage focuses solely on the tangible, immediate experiences available to the infant. This foundational stage is critical for subsequent cognitive development as it lays the groundwork for more advanced thinking and understanding as children grow.